Reminiscence
by Magi Mana
Summary: One-Shot. After Jaden left Duel Academy, he began a journey to see the world. But is the adventure the same without his friends? While wandering around one town, Jaden reminisces about his time at Duel Academy.


_**With my birthday and the Fourth of July so close together, I tend to get a little melancholic as I remember how things used to be compared to how they are now. That feeling inspired this story, and I think Jaden might feel the same way since he's out on his own after the anime ends. I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! GX.**_

Reminiscence

Jaden walked down the streets of the city. He didn't remember its name; he was just passing through on his way to the next place. Ever since he'd decide to travel the world on his own, with no one for company but his spirit partner, Slifer Red's cat, and the disembodied spirit of his former professor, Jaden never stayed in one place for too long. He'd travel to a town, sightsee a little bit, duel a few people, and be the Good Samaritan for someone before moving on to the next place. He felt whole while he was dueling, and helping people gave him a sense of purpose. But it was lonely being away from everyone else he cared about.

Jaden stopped to watch the people at the park. The children playing games with each other reminded him of a simpler time. When he didn't have to worry about Shadow Games, cosmic forces, or supernatural powers. When a game was just a game and he hadn't had to save the world again and again.

A ball rolled to his feet. Curious, Jaden picked it up and smiled at the superhero design on the rubber surface. It was his own love of superheroes that made him build his Elemental Hero deck in the first place. If he and his friends weren't dueling, they'd play pretend games involving heroes and villains and chase each other around the park. Jaden tossed the ball back to the kids. They thanked him and waved before resuming their game.

He walked on, coming to the shopping district. He spotted a group of girls strolling along, several shopping bags in each hand. That could have been Alexis, Jasmine, and Mindy way back when. Alexis had never been girly, but she and her two friends did enjoy going shopping for reasons Jaden could never comprehend. Though if things had been different, Jaden would have been happy to be the guy carrying his girlfriend's bags. If that girl had been Alexis, and she would have let him carry them. If only he had told her how he felt after the tag-team tournament. Maybe he would be seeing the world by her side instead of on his own.

Pushing aside his heartache, Jaden moved on. A couple blocks away, he spotted a duel happening. Keeping his distance so not to distract the players, he watched the duel play out. The duelist on his left was shorter with pointy, blue-green hair, and he seemed timid. He couldn't have been more than eight. The other duelist was a bigger guy who openly mocked his opponent. An obvious bully. Jaden silently rooted for the smaller duelist; he reminded the Duel Academy graduate of his best friend. Syrus had once been just as timid and nervous as the duelist.

The bully overpowered the duelist and demanded the kid's best cards. "That's enough," Jaden finally stepped in. "If there's one thing I can't stand, it's bullies." The bully grinned at the prospect of defeating someone else. He was just like the Obelisk Blue students his freshman year, before many of them learned to not underestimate a Slifer Red. Jaden had never thought too much of it then; now his naivety was gone, and he wouldn't stand for anyone picking on someone else. Unfortunately for Jaden, the duel was over in only a few turns. He'd finally relearned to enjoy dueling, but this duelist was no match for the combined power of him and Yubel.

The bully turned tail and ran, not wanting to be around the person who put him in his place. The other duelist threw his arms around Jaden. "Thank you!" he said.

"No problem," Jaden answered him. "You've got game, kid," he said. "You just gotta believe in yourself more. What's your name"

"Bolt Tanner," the kid stared at him with big gray-green eyes. "You really I could be a good duelist?"

"I know you can," Jaden grinned at the kid. "My best friend was a lot like you, and he graduated at the top of our class at Duel Academy. Tied with two other people for the best spot, and believe me, during our freshman year I spent so much time trying to boost his confidence."

"Really?"

"Yeah, we were almost expelled before he finally started to believe in himself. You just gotta have some faith in yourself and you'll go a long way." Jaden fished a card out of his deck. "Why don't you take this? It could help you summon that giant bull you were trying to." He handed the kid his Cost Down card.

"Are you serious? I can really have it?" Bolt turned hopeful eyes on Jaden.

"I'm serious. A duelist I really admire once gave me a card, and that card has been with me ever since. That card has also saved me more times than I can count. Now I get to do the same for you."

"Thank you so much, mister!" the kid took the card and added it to his deck.

"Just remember to believe in yourself, and to have fun while dueling. That's what's really important."

"I will! Thanks again!" Bolt took off down the street, probably off to his house to tell his parents about his day. Jaden smiled as the kid disappeared around the corner. Another Good Samaritan move.

He sighed and turned away, walking down the block. Pharaoh meowed from his bag, reminding Jaden that it was time to eat. Grinning at how the cat was better than an actual clock, he went off in search of food for the corporeal members of his party. There was a pizzeria a couple of blocks away, and Jaden smiled as he remembered the day Professor Banner had led a group of students to see the Gravekeeper's ruins his freshman year. He had brought a pizza to eat himself while the students only had what the dorm cafeterias had given them; Banner's luck turned when Pharaoh had stowed away and eaten the professor's lunch. Even now, Pharaoh always preferred human food to cat food, and Jaden had long given up trying to get the cat to eat otherwise.

As Jaden ate, he heard the people talking at the next table about some dragons blowing things up in various towns around the area. They thought it was probably some holograms gone wrong, but Jaden knew better. Someone was causing some _real_ trouble. He knew where he was heading next. He finished his pizza and took off with Pharaoh in tow. It was time to save the world, yet again.

 _ **I had the kid be Bolt Tanner so he could have some inspiration to being a great duelist until he loses to Jack, and then Yusei protecting Yanagi would be similar to how Jaden protected him. I also really wanted Jaden to interact with someone from the next series, but this would be before Satellite was formed, therefore before Yusei and the other Signers were born. Bolt's older, it was plausible he'd be around. This ultimately leads into Jaden's involvement in Bonds Beyond Time. Thanks for reading!**_


End file.
